Knockout Services

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Masters Extraction

Masters Extraction

H&H’s newest knockout service, Masters Extraction allows you to use your own school lighting design and shoot on a variety of Old Masters backgrounds! From these images you can print proof plans and service items quickly by avoiding the knockout process. Then, instead of knocking out an entire job like when you shoot on a green or blue screen, only the images that need a new background because your customer asked for it are knocked out.

This saves you time on your service items and money because you are only paying for the knockouts you need!

3 Day Service Time

Please note: file size and image quality can affect service time.

guidelines lighting & setup backdrops how to order prices

Masters Extraction guidelines

  • This service is intended for a head and shoulders to a standard ¾ length shot only. Submitted images cannot contain content below the knees of a subject and absolutely no full body or feet. If images are submitted outside of our ability to knock them out, orders will be canceled without service and returned for cropping in your studio.
  • In-camera crop must fill the image with the background; the floor and room around the background cannot be showing.
  • No props may be used for this service at this time.
  • Images may be color and density corrected by the studio, but heavy filters or effects are not supported.
  • Softening and other retouching enhancements are allowed but in a moderate amount so as not to affect edges and separation.
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lighting & setup

You may use a studio-defined, volume lighting setup as long as it meets the following criteria:

  • We recommend using one of our six preapproved backgrounds seen below. If you have a different background that you wish to use, a test must be submitted with each unique background, so we can assess our ability to remove it without issue.
  • The entire subject must be properly exposed.
  • A visible, lit separation must be defined along the entire edge of the subject in the image. This is achieved through lighting and appropriate distance from the background.
  • A lighting setup must be used that evenly exposes the entire background without shadows or heavy vignettes.
  • We recommend using a hair light to add separation, but it must be properly exposed.

Lighting Diagram

This diagram is intended as a starting point for ideal Masters Extraction shooting. This setup has been tested and used within our automated KO system and renders the best results with clean edges and reduced color fall off from the backdrop. While some variances from this setup are allowed, it should be used as a starting point for your shooting and test.

Masters Extraction Lighting Diagram

Hair Light Placement

For a more detailed description of hair light placement, please download this instructional PDF.

Download Hair Light Placement Instructions

Camera Settings

Setting Recommendation
ISO Between 100 and 400, ideally at 100
Aperture Between f8 and f11, ideally at f8
Shutter Speed between 100 and 200, ideally at 125
Focal Length Between 45mm and 85mm
White Balance Custom
File Size 4-6 MB, ideally 8x12 at 300ppi
Color Space sRGB
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Backdrops

We recommend using one of our six pre-approved backgrounds seen below, if you have a different background that you wish to use, you must submit a test using it with a variety of subjects and hair types before ordering placing an order.

To see a larger preview, click the thumbnail image.
To purchase the background on the Denny Manufacturing website, click the text label below each image. We highly recommend using the Canvas background for optimal setup and image quality. For head and shoulders we recommend a 6'x7' background. For 3/4 length we recommend a 7'x8' background.

PURCHASE OM2336 PURCHASE OM2339 PURCHASE OM2491
PURCHASE OM2517 PURCHASE OM3800 PURCHASE OM7006

Capture Background

When using masters extraction, if we remove the background of an image for a product order and then need to return the capture background for subsequent service items, we need a digital copy of the background you are shooting on, on file in your background library. This file must be captured using the same lighting design as you intend to shoot on the job. We call this your “Capture Background”. We encourage you to shoot this jpg when you setup your test lighting.

The image file needs to be 8x12 inches at 300ppi. The background should clean and wrinkle free and be cropped to fill the image just like when you capture an image with a subject. Do not include lights or background. Ideally, a focal point should be made with a subject sitting in the frame then manually held as the subject steps out and the image is captured. This will render a consistent and logical depth of field when comparing image to image.

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how to order

To order this product download our hhschools software.

download hhschools
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prices

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H&H has a one-time charge for Masters Extraction. After that there are no additional image processing charges. Your png images are available to use for service items, reorders, additional backgrounds, and multiple sales opportunities for 9 months. You may also download your knocked-out png images from our website.

Included in this price is the cleanup required when the occasional subject wears the same color as the background. If a majority of subjects are wearing clothing that matches the background, additional charges may apply.

At times, however, improper lighting, exposure, prop use or photographer error can require manual clean-up to your images. Anytime manual clean-up is needed, you will be contacted so we can help you troubleshoot what happened and how we can prevent it in the future. When necessary, you will be charged $0.75 per minute for these clean-up services. When the charges are less than $100, we will continue with the clean-up and notify you with the reason. When the estimated charges are greater than $100, we will contact you to request approval before proceeding with the clean-up.